Overview

• Fruit is ripening weeks ahead of schedule at orchards and walled gardens, prompting harvests to start earlier than usual in late September.
• Buckland Abbey in Devon reports about 50% more squash and pumpkins than usual and is beginning harvest now rather than mid-October.
• Erddig Hall in North Wales expects roughly 4 tonnes of apples versus about 2 tonnes in a typical year, with other sites citing strong blossom and late-summer rainfall that swelled fruit.
• National Trust expert Rebecca Bevan links the results to last year’s rain recharging groundwater followed by a dry, warm spring and plentiful summer sun.
• Gardeners note many pumpkins are already ripe and will keep for months if properly cured, and some growers expect very large pumpkins in time for Halloween.